VISTA: Builders group offers apprenticeships for charter students

A Vista-based construction-themed charter school has teamed up
with a local contractors association to offer books and tools to
graduates interested in apprenticeship programs.

Seniors at
North County Trade Tech High School
who plan to gostraight to work after graduation will be eligible for thescholarship, which will cover the necessary materials over thecourse of the three- to five-year programs.

The local chapter of
Associated Builders and Contractors
agreed to offer help to the students because the trade group has been impressedwith the hard work of the students there, said Sherry Yarbrough,executive director of the organization's training trust.

"They just seem to be really bright and motivated," she said. "I
think Trade Tech is changing lives."

The group expects to sponsor between five and 10 graduates each
year, Yarbrough said. A full five-year scholarship could come to as
much as $5,000 per student, she said.

The deal also will benefit Associated Builders and Contractors
by helping its members find qualified and motivated workers,
Yarbrough said.

"It's going to be a huge benefit for (the group's) contractors
as well as providing a great opportunity for these students," she
said.

The trade group was particularly impressed with the school's
jump in its test scores this year, she said.

Trade Tech's
score
on the state's Academic Performance Indexrose 159 points this year ---- from 558 in 2010-11 to 717 on ascale between 200 and 1,000. It was the biggest increase of anyschool in the county and the biggest across the state for a charterschool.

After a rocky start with test scores, educators at the school
have been able to work out the kinks and have had more time with
the students, some of whom have been there since the school opened
in 2008, Principal Bryan O'Donnell said.

There are about 120 students enrolled at the school this year,
including about 25 seniors, he said.

Most of those students plan to head to college after they
graduate, but for the ones who don't, the apprenticeships offer
them a pathway to a good job, he said.

Danny Aguilar, a senior at the school, said he is excited about
the chance to be an electrician apprentice next year.

"It feels good that somebody's actually going to give up the
money for you to buy all of the stuff that you need for work and
studying," he said.

Over the last couple of years, the school has garnered support
and donations from many construction companies and public
officials.